Joint Inflammation - Diseases, Symptoms And Treatment Of Joint Inflammation

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Diseases, symptoms and treatment of joint inflammation

Content:

• What is joint inflammation?
• Diseases as the main causes of inflammation
• Joint inflammation symptoms
• Inflammatory process and complications
• Diagnosis of joint inflammation
• Proper nutrition
• Joint inflammation treatment
• Prevention of joint inflammation

What is joint inflammation?

Joint inflammation is a natural reaction of the body to this or that disease-causing effect. There are several reasons that can trigger this process. These are injuries of various origins, and various diseases, the most common among which is arthritis. There are several varieties of it, which, to a greater or lesser extent, cause an inflammatory reaction in the joints. Both one and several joints can be involved in the pathological process.

Also, joint inflammation is defined as a reaction caused by either a general or local infection, when exposed to other factors supporting the process (endogenous and exogenous).

Studies show that in the world more than 20% of the world's population suffer from inflammatory processes in the joints.

Most of this population group is people over 50 years old, since it is at this age that metabolic processes in the body proceed much more slowly, the baggage of previously suffered injuries and diseases accumulates, which make themselves felt. But depending on the cause that caused the inflammation, middle-aged people and even children turn to doctors with this problem.

Diseases as the main causes of joint inflammation

As diseases leading to the start of the inflammatory process in the joints, include:

• Osteoarthritis.
• Gout.
• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Lupus.
• Rheumatism.
• Tick-borne borreliosis.
• Polymyalgia rheumatica.
• Ankylosing spondylitis.
• Tuberculosis.
• Crohn's disease.
• Coccidioidomycosis.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common disease that affects most older people, around 40 and older. The joints that the disease "prefers" to affect are located on the hands, in the spine, as well as in the knees and hip part of the body. With this disease, mini-processes begin to form in any of these areas, which lead to irritation and inflammation in the tissues, ligaments and tendons surrounding the joint. Osteoarthritis is usually classified as follows: primary, localized, generalized, secondary (caused by a number of reasons - after an injury or endocrine disease).

The main signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis are:

• The unpleasant sensations intensify or even appear after the joint has worked. Such pains are called mechanical and appear most often in the evening. During rest, they either calm down or disappear altogether.
• Seals appear along the edges of the joint space in the area of the inflamed area.
• After waking up, a person may experience short-term stiffness, usually not exceeding half an hour.
• Movement is somewhat difficult and painful.
• The joint is tense.
• Signs of joint destruction may be observed.
• Crackling in the joints, called crepitus.

Gout

Gout is another type of arthritis that causes sudden, repetitive joint pain that is intense. The reason leading to the occurrence of gout is a significant increase in the level of uric acid in the blood, and as a result, the deposition of sodium crystals in the joints, which leads to their inflammation. Sometimes this disease spills over into the category of chronic and leads to deformation of the articular tissue. About 20% of patients have kidney stone deposits.

With gout, it is customary to isolate patients who complain of the following symptoms:

• Sharp pain that most often occurs at night.
• Sharp redness of the skin around the inflamed joint,
• Weakness and trembling in the limbs.
• Headache.
• Redness and sharp pain in the big toe, with swelling and hardening of the tissue surrounding the joint.
• Increase in body temperature to high levels.

Thus, the classic onset of the disease occurs, similar symptoms are experienced by up to 80% of patients with gout.

On the subject: All information about gout!

Rheumatoid arthritis

Although less common, rheumatoid arthritis is nevertheless a fairly common disease that leads to inflammation in the joints. This disease affects approximately 2% of the world's population. The process is autoimmune, when a person's own immune system begins to attack healthy cells. In rheumatoid arthritis, it is the joints that suffer from the "attack". The reasons for the development of the disease have not yet been precisely established, but infectious diseases, frequent stress, genetic predisposition, severe hypothermia or a consequence of other arthritis (reactive or infectious) are considered as theoretically possible.

During attacks of rheumatoid arthritis, the following symptoms can be distinguished, characteristic of this particular disease:

• An important distinguishing feature of rheumatoid arthritis is the symmetry of the lesion. That is, when the knee joint on the left leg becomes inflamed, the knee joint on the right leg should also be involved in the process.
• In the morning, and almost until midday, a person may experience joint stiffness, which disappears in the late afternoon.
• Fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, muscle pains, etc. join.

On the subject: All information about rheumatoid arthritis!

Systemic lupus erythematosus

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a disease of the connective tissue and blood vessels, in which the immune processes in the body are disrupted. The pathology is chronic. Joint inflammation in lupus manifests itself in the form of pain, localized in different places. However, most often the small joints of the ankle and hands are affected. Sometimes the inflamed areas swell, in some cases deformity is observed in combination with joint stiffness.

Rheumatism

Rheumatism is a disease of the connective tissue that affects the heart and joints. The disease can overtake any person, since it occurs as a complication of a serious illness, for example, tonsillitis, tonsillitis, pneumonia, etc. People with a genetic predisposition to rheumatism are also at risk. Inflamed joints with this pathology often swell and hurt. The pains are sharp, most often large ones suffer - ankle, elbow, shoulder, knee and wrist joints.

Tick-borne borreliosis

Tick-borne borreliosis is spread by ticks and is transmitted by insect bites to humans. In this case, migratory joint pain of high intensity can occur several weeks after the bite and the absence of treatment. Joint inflammation in this case is a complication of the disease. Most often, patients complain of painful sensations in the knees, but in some cases other joints are also affected.

Polymyalgia rheumatica

Polymyalgia rheumatica is a disease that has an acute onset and is characterized by severe pain in the neck, pelvis and shoulder girdle. In this case, the movements of the patients are largely impeded, and the painful sensations are symmetrical, that is, both parts of the body hurt, almost in parallel. Mostly the disease develops in the elderly. The reasons may be viral and bacterial infections, stress, hypothermia, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer, as well as severe hypothermia.

Ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is a disease that is caused by disorders in the functioning of the immune system and leads to the development of inflammation in the joints, in the joints of the spine, as well as to impaired cardiac activity. At risk are mainly young men - up to 30 years.

Joint tuberculosis

Joint tuberculosis is a fairly common form of extrapulmonary infection. It is most commonly seen in adults and affects the spine, knee and hip joints. Doctors name injuries and overloads, hypothermia, infectious diseases and external factors as the reasons. With the disease, the synovial membrane of the joint is affected and its inflammation occurs.

Crohn's disease, characterized by inflammation of the intestinal wall, is quite often accompanied by inflammation of the joints, since this pathology, according to doctors, occurs against the background of a violation of the immune system. In particular, in children, the disease is practically not accompanied by abdominal pain, but is expressed in inflammation of the joints and fever.

Coccidioidomycosis

Coccidioidomycosis is a disease that is infectious in nature with a primary lesion of the lungs, which occurs against the background of infection with a coccidioid (a type of fungus). With the development of the disease, inflammation of the joints is almost always observed, but it should be noted that the progressive form is rare.

Joint inflammation symptoms

Despite the fact that joint inflammation can be caused by a number of diseases, nevertheless, this pathological process has similar features. The following can be distinguished as specific and general symptoms:

• Acute pain, the intensity of which may vary. The place of its localization is an inflamed joint. The uncomfortable sensation may be present all the time, even when the person is not moving.
• The skin around the sore spot is tight, the color can vary from slightly pink to bright red, there is swelling of varying severity.
• Edema is most often observed.
• The body temperature may rise, in general, and around the inflamed joint, in particular.
• During movement, the patient can hear a crunch.
• The joint is deformed.
• After the joint has not been moved for a long time, the person may experience stiffness in this area. This happens especially often after a night's rest.

Regarding the sensations in the area of the affected joint, we can say that they have their own characteristics and in medical language they are called so - inflammatory pains. They are characterized by a sharp and unexpected onset when a person sets the joint in motion. Quite often, such pains are observed at night, closer to the morning. In the acute phase of joint inflammation caused by any disease, discomfort intensifies and is almost always present. If the pathology has become chronic, then the pain reminds of itself more often during movements.

How does the inflammatory process in the joints proceed and what are the complications of the disease?

Joint inflammation can occur in acute, chronic or subacute stages. If we are talking about the acute nature of the disease, then, as a rule, it is accompanied by a sharp onset, constant severe pain, redness and swelling of the affected area. In this case, the disease ends quickly, the prognosis is very favorable, up to complete recovery, under conditions of adequate therapy. The motor function of the joint is fully restored.

If we are talking about a long-term sluggish disease that has turned into a chronic form, then in such cases, even the patient's disability is possible. The pains are variable, during the period of remission they are weak, the joints may swell slightly, depending on the type of disease, seals form.

During the subacute stage, the patient often has an increase in the temperature of the skin around the affected joint. Joint mobility is difficult and extremely painful, and joint deformity may occur. But most often, pain in the subacute stage is spontaneous. In contrast to the acute course of the disease, in this case, the symptoms are less pronounced.

Complications of joint inflammation include:

• Perhaps purulent inflammation of the tissues surrounding the affected joint.
• Sepsis or blood poisoning.
• Subluxation, displacement of bones.
• Bone inflammation.
• Full exit of the head of the joint from its fossa.
• Disruption of the joint.
• Phlegmon and panartitis.
• Contractures.

Diagnosis of joint inflammation

Since inflammation of the joints can be caused by a number of diseases, the doctor faces a rather difficult, but at the same time, basic task - to determine the disease that led to the pathological process.

Therefore, to make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor needs to obtain the following information:

• A complete and thorough medical history in order to establish a possible connection of the inflammatory process with previous infectious diseases, injuries or allergies.
• Assessment of the course of the disease by listening to patient complaints. Palpation of the inflamed area.
• Conducting laboratory diagnostics, which, in addition to studying a general blood and urine test, should include tests for the presence of antibodies to hemolytic streptococcus, studying the level of uric acid.
• Ultrasound diagnostics.
• X-ray, which is the most effective method for determining the causes of inflammation in the joints.
• MRI and computed tomography.
• Collection of synovial fluid for study.
• Arthroscopy when it becomes possible to examine the joint itself.
• Biopsy of existing nodules.
• Puncture of the joint.

With all the necessary research and the connection of the results obtained with the clinical picture of the disease, it is possible to fairly accurately establish the diagnosis and determine the disease that caused inflammation in the joints.

Proper nutrition for inflammation in the joints

As with almost any other disease, with the inflammatory process taking place in the joints, it is simply necessary to adhere to a certain type of diet. After all, there are products that help to reduce the pathological process, the flesh to its complete extinction. There are those that will only aggravate the course of the disease. The latter include unambiguously meat, especially fatty, fast food and sugar. Sausages that have been cooked and contain a large amount of dyes, flavors and salt should not be used either.

If you include in your menu those products that will help reduce inflammation, then you can improve the patient's condition and reduce the occurrence of relapses to a minimum:

• You should not completely abandon fats and oils. But you should competently approach their choice. So inflamed joints "love" Omega-3 fatty acids, which have long been proven to have anti-inflammatory properties. Beneficial compounds can be found in fatty fish, nuts, seeds (flaxseed and pumpkin seeds), as well as in rapeseed oil. Olive oil is also the champion of a much needed ingredient for people with joint inflammation. If it is not possible to often eat such products, then you can always use their pharmacy counterparts in the form of various additives.
• Fiber and carbohydrates must necessarily enter the body of a sick person. And it shouldn't be simple carbohydrates. Their complex “brethren” are found in whole grain bread, fruits and vegetables. For people with joint pain, doctors recommend consuming at least five servings of different fruits and vegetables daily. Don't forget about berries, in particular blueberries and strawberries. They are rich in antioxidants and other substances that help reduce the inflammatory process.
• It is best to use plain water as your main drink, and be sure to refrain from carbonated liquids. Naturally, alcohol for joint inflammation will only have a detrimental effect.

Joint inflammation treatment

If we consider therapeutic agents for treating inflammation of the joints, then it should be understood that their choice will be determined by the disease that is the cause of the pathological process.

So for the local treatment of diseased joints, doctors often use physiotherapy procedures, prescribe intra-articular injections, and also practice non-specific treatment.

Surgical methods of treatment include:

• Replacement of a "live" joint with an artificial one, or a certain part of it.
• Reconstruction of weakened or completely torn tendons.
• Removal of the joint lining if it is inflamed or severely damaged.
• If it is impossible to perform arthroplasty, then the patient is recommended to have a fusion operation. At the same time, he is given the desired position, which significantly reduces the pain symptom and makes life easier for the patient.

Naturally, surgical intervention is carried out when other methods of therapy were ineffective or the disease has gone too far.

Treatment of joint inflammation in osteoarthritis

As the basic principles of treatment, it is customary to distinguish the following:

• Regular joint exercise. Their choice is based on the selection of optimal complexes depending on the degree of damage and inflammation. Exercise when done correctly not only improves mood, but also improves joint flexibility and blood flow to them, thereby relieving pain. For the most competent selection of the complex, it is necessary to consult an exercise therapy specialist.
• Weight control and getting rid of excess body weight. This is necessary in order to relieve the already inflamed joints. To achieve optimal results in a short time, it is necessary to adhere to the principles of good nutrition in combination with adequate exercise.
• Taking painkillers. In some cases, doctors only prescribe analgesics, and sometimes they prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and aspirin. They help relieve swelling. In the most advanced cases, intra-articular injections of short steroids are used.
• Refusal from excessive load.
• If necessary, the patient's consent to the operation. During its implementation, the diseased joint is replaced with an artificial one. In connection with the development of medicine in this area, in most cases, such an intervention ends successfully, limb mobility is almost completely restored.
• Using alternative therapies. These include folk remedies: taking tinctures, rubbing in ointments, applying compresses, etc.

With the right combination of these principles, you can achieve very good results.

On the subject: List of modern drugs and drugs for joints

Treatment of joint inflammation with gout

In case of joint inflammation caused by gout, the primary task for the doctor is to relieve the pain symptom. This can only be achieved by relieving inflammation. The most commonly used drug for this purpose is colchicine. Its effect will be noticeable after about a day, and sometimes even earlier. The pains completely subside 12 hours after the first application. They take the medicine orally, but in case of vomiting and other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, they are prescribed in the form of injections.

It should be noted that many doctors refuse to prescribe colchicine, as it can cause serious damage to the bone marrow. That is why non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (we are talking about ibuprofen and indomycin) are increasingly used to relieve the pain symptom of gout. Prednidozole is also able to relieve swelling. Especially effective is the introduction of the drug into the diseased joint with the removal of the collected fluid from it. In addition to taking medications, the diseased joint must be immobilized.

After the primary task in the form of reducing the pain symptom is solved, it is necessary to ensure that the disease does not recur. For this, it is recommended to drink plenty of fluids, avoid alcohol, and a low-protein diet. It is also imperative to reduce excess weight, if any. Often when losing weight and taking blood for uric acid analysis, doctors find that the indicators are back to normal.

For those patients who have kidney stones and high levels of uric acid in the blood, a drug such as allopurinol is often prescribed. It leads to a blockage of acid production, but it has a number of side effects: it causes a disorder in the gastrointestinal tract, has a negative effect on the liver, and reduces the number of leukocytes circulating in the blood.

Treatment of joint inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis

I use various techniques to relieve inflammation in the joints with rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes all the doctor's prescriptions are reduced to recommendations for ordinary rest, and sometimes surgical intervention is required. Naturally, with non-started stages of the disease and with minor inflammation, therapy begins with the most gentle.

It is important to minimize the stress on the joints and give them, if incomplete, then at least partial rest. If it is impossible to keep to bed rest, then it is recommended to immobilize the sore joints, at least for the period of rest. This is done with a special immobilizing dressing.

As with any disease that causes joint inflammation, proper nutrition and recommendations for a healthy lifestyle are prescribed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

As therapeutic agents, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, as well as long-acting drugs and immunosuppressants are prescribed. Naturally, the more severe the disease progresses, the more potent drugs the patient needs.

On the subject: List of effective dietary supplements for joints

Prevention of joint inflammation

In order to keep the joints healthy as long as possible, doctors give the following recommendations:

• Close control of own weight. Maintaining it in the norm is the best prevention of joint inflammation. Even with a seemingly insignificant increase, the knee and hip joints begin to suffer, the load on the spine increases, which will definitely lead to the onset of an inflammatory process.
• Regular sports activities. Exercise that involves all joints results in improved flexibility and mobility. But with already existing pathological processes, it is necessary to exclude with a shock load. Even if you cannot regularly go in for sports, you still need to increase your physical activity to the maximum.
• Muscle training helps to ensure that the joints are under reliable protection, but before embarking on this or that type of exercise, you should consult with your doctor in advance.
• Proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle are a guarantee that joint inflammation will not overtake a person until a ripe old age. Unless, of course, there is no genetic predisposition to the disease.
• If possible, it is necessary to avoid hypothermia of the body, since it is this that contributes to the development of many diseases of the joints, leading to their inflammation.
• Prevention of acute respiratory infections, flu and other colds. For this purpose, it is necessary to be vaccinated, avoid contact with sick people, and take vitamins. These rules are relevant during epidemiological outbreaks.

If there is a genetic predisposition to any type of arthritis, then all painful sensations in the joints should be treated several times more carefully.

When is it necessary to see a doctor urgently?

If one or more symptoms occur, you should immediately consult a doctor:

• If the body temperature rises to significant numbers and this symptom is accompanied by redness and swelling of any joint.
• If the joints are inflamed symmetrically.
• If a person is experiencing severe pain in the joint area.
• In case of deterioration of the heart and difficulty in breathing.
• With obvious deformation of any joint.
• If the pain is paroxysmal and catches up at night.
• With crunching joints and a clear sensation of internal friction.

Author of the article: Kaplan Alexander Sergeevich | Orthopedist

Education: diploma in the specialty "General Medicine" received in 2009 at the Medical Academy. I. M. Sechenov. In 2012 completed postgraduate studies in Traumatology and Orthopedics at the City Clinical Hospital named after Botkin at the Department of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Disaster Surgery.